In Philip J. Stern's history course, Duke students research objects connected to the global history of 1776, present their findings and help curate a public exhibition in spring 2027. Philip J. Stern, Duke University professor of HistoryThat's the inspiration behind Worlds of 1776: The American Revolution in Global Perspective, a History course taught this fall by Professor Philip J. Stern. “The world spilled into the American Revolution long before the Revolution ever spilled out to the world,” Stern shares. Body politicThe East India Company introduces another theme of the course: corporations. For Stern, corporations weren't supporting players in the Revolution but central actors that shaped how the conflict emerged and unfolded.